Syria

Part 1: A look at the nation

• Demographics
  • Median Age is about 22
  • There are more younger men than women and there are more older women than men.
  • 90.3% Arab, Kurd, Armenian, etc. = 9.7%. religion = mostly muslim but also christian and jewish.
• Geography
  • borders mediterranean sea, about the size of florida, people live in western region, eastern region is deserts, north eastern land is fertile agricultural land, average temperature 90 degrees in summer, 59 degrees in winter and rainy
• Economic Resources
  • imports: machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper
  • exports: crude oil, minerals, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, textiles, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
  • jobs: agriculture: 17% industry: 16% services: 67%
  • GDP: agriculture: 17.7% industry:28.2% services: 54.1% (2011 est.)
• Political Structure:
  • type of government: authoritarian regime, only government makes decisions, people don’t get a say. who can vote: people 18 and older.
  • Elections are held every seven years.

Part 2: History

• 1918: France governs Syria
• 1945: gain independence
• 1948: War against Israel
• 1958: Syria and Egypt form United Arab Republic
• 1961: Syria and Egypt separate
• 1967: war against Israel
• 1970: Hafez al-Assad takes power
• 1973: War against Israel
• 1982: thousands die during a fundamentalist rebellion
• 2000: Bashar al-Assad takes power
• 2011: major uprisings occur and spread throughout the country

Part 3: Legitimacy of the Current Leader and Government